It's Not Just A Name
by AlySimmons
Summary: "But you know what, Alex Dino? You might be great with guns. You might be able to disarm a man quickly or disable a bomb. You might be the bravest man in the ORB army and the best bodyguard in the world but I will always like Athrun Zala better."


**Disclaimer: It would be so cool to own Gundam SEED/ Destiny, but since I don't, I have to settle with writing fanficitons.**

**It's Not Just A Name**

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><p>"Seriously?" Cagalli stared at him incredulously from her stack of papers. "Alex Dino? Seriously?"<p>

Athrun sighed from his position beside her. He knew she was going to bring this up again. She wasn't quite satisfied with their earlier conversation, after all. "Are we still on that?"

"I just can't get over it!" Cagalli exclaimed, her hand clenching. "I mean, Alex Dino? It's not – it's just not you!"

Athrun remained silent, thinking of a suitable response when Cagalli continued, "I mean, if being my bodyguard means that you have to change your name, then don't! Don't do this to yourself!"

Athrun stepped forward towards her until their faces were only inches apart, "But I want to do this."

"Great," Cagalli groaned. "That just makes me feel worse!"

Athrun arched an eyebrow as she continued with her rant, "It's because of me then that you're hiding! It's because of me that you're Alex Dino!"

"Hey," he calmed her down, or at least tried to. "I'll always be Athrun Zala to you, to Kira, to Lacus and to all of our friends."

"Just not to the world," Cagalli grumbled, crossing her arms vehemently.

"Yes, just not to the world," Athrun agreed, nodding his head. "Besides, Alex Dino's not that bad of a name."

"But you're Athrun Zala," Cagalli countered immediately. "Nothing more, nothing less. And you are definitely not Alex Dino."

"Look, it's not because of you, Cagalli," Athrun said. "If I were to give up my job, my name, my life, my everything just to be with you, then it's alright with me. I'm not doing this because of you. Well partly, it is but I'm doing this for my own sake. It's because I want to be by your side always. That's why I'm doing this. And if this is what it takes, then so be it!"

"Oh my God!" Cagalli moaned. "How the hell can you still be so sappy?"

Athrun smiled, "It's just a name, you know."

"No, it's not!" Cagalli exclaimed defiantly. "A name stands for who you are, describes who you are and is who you are!"

"I thought you'll make your name what it is, not the other way around," Athrun grinned at her.

"You already have a great name," Cagalli said, her eyes pleading with his.

He held her hand softly, caressing it, "And that name tells me to stand by you."

"As Alex Dino," Cagalli scoffed.

"Well, right now that we're alone like this, just the two of us, I'm standing by your side as Athrun Zala," he smiled. "To the public however…"

"As Alex Dino," They both said in perfect unison.

"Fine," Cagalli said begrudgingly and Athrun returned to his original position, content with being able to convince his stubborn significant other to let this matter go. "But I still don't like it."

After a while though, Cagalli stopped working yet again and Athrun thought he was going to have to convince her all over again.

He thought wrong.

"But you know what, Alex Dino?" Cagalli smiled at him, though her smile was on the borderline of a smirk. "You might be great with guns. You might be able to disarm a man quickly or disable a bomb. You might be the bravest man in the ORB army and the best bodyguard in the world but I will always like Athrun Zala better."

Athrun Zala couldn't help but smile at that.

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><p><strong>Pretty short, yeah I know. <strong>

**Actually, this was one of the few stories that I wrote by hand on a piece of paper which I don't normally do. I was studying...not sure what subject that was...Biology? Not sure. Anyway, my mind started to wander to AsuCaga again and this became the result. Since I wasn't supposed to use the computer that time, I wrote it down before I could forget. This was written months ago and I just decided to upload it now. Heehee.**

**So as always, I hope you guys enjoyed it and please review!**


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